


Family Man

by gillyandersons



Category: Ashes to Ashes
Genre: F/M, Family, Happy, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-06-21
Packaged: 2018-04-01 05:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4007269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gillyandersons/pseuds/gillyandersons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gene Hunt gets a second chance at happiness. Does he take it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on the film 'The Family Man'.

He was a miserable bastard as it was, but since he had lost his team, his Bolly, his family, Gene Hunt had spiralled into a deep and dark depression.

He had resigned himself to this job a long time ago. The Arc Angel; the man who's soul could not rest or be at peace as he was destined to help other poor lost souls, much more lost than him, come to peace.

And he had done that job. He had helped Sam and Annie to the afterlife and that had been heartbreaking enough. So much so that he blocked it out as a way of coping. He hadn't just lost a best friend that day, he had lost a brother. But then, then came Ray, Chris and Shaz's turn. Watching them go... God the pain in his chest had been almost unbearable. He would never admit it, but those three had become his surrogate children over the past years. He loved each and every one of them dearly and the only thing that helped to numb the pain in his heart at losing them, was knowing they were at peace. That they were in heaven. Together.

Ray Carling had actually made it to heaven. Misogyny, racism and homophobia included! Who'd have thought?

But then the worst pain of all was the loss of Alex. _His Bolly_. The way she begged - ** _pleaded_** \- to stay with him still rung in his ears. He could still see the fear and heartbreak in her eyes as she realised she was dead; that she would never see Molly again and then that she was losing him. Her Guv. There was a constant ache in his chest for his Bolls. His team.

But they were better off without him. They were at peace now, resting in heaven the way their beautiful souls should. He often wondered if he was actually cut out for this job; he had almost lost three of them to Keats. To the devil. But he knew, deep down, that he was perfect for this job. The Manc Lion. Who else better to protect lost, innocent souls than a lion?

But still.

After loosing Bolly he hoped he could forget or block it out like he had with Sam and Annie. But he couldn't. As hard as he tried and as much as he drank, he couldn't forget.

And at first, he had let his loneliness and depression get the better of him. Let it affect his work. But one night, after he'd passed out in his office, the neck of his empty scotch bottle dangling from his lean fingers, he heard Bolly's voice.

"Don't let me have died in vein, Gene. Don't let Molly have lost her mother for nothing"

That alone had rocked him to the very core. He had to keep doing his job; helping those souls that were stuck get the peace they deserved. If he wasn't going to do it for them or himself then he would do it for Alex. For Molly. For Sam. For Annie. For Ray, Chris, Shaz and anybody else he had helped along the way.

And so, he cleaned his act up then. At least during work hours anyway. He still drowned his sorrows in a sea of scotch and fags every night. Passing out on the sofa and dreaming of Alex.

Christmas was the worst time of year though. That's when the loneliness really struck him. His new team was nowhere near anything like his old one. He couldn't even go to Luigi's like he used to thanks to him swanning off back to Italy! Nope, Gene Hunt was left totally and utterly alone on Christmas. For the three years Alex was there, he would turn up on her doorstep at 9am, messily wrapped present in one hand and a bottle of red wine in another. She'd answer the door in silky pyjamas, face free of makeup and red rimmed eyes.

She'd sniffle and ask what he was doing there, but step aside to let him in anyway. She'd lie and say she hadn't been crying, but he knew she had been crying for her daughter. Her Molly. He would never say anything, just gather her in his arms and hold her as sobs plagued her body. Then he'd make some smutty comment and she'd roll her eyes, giggle and excuse herself whilst she went to get changed. She'd reappear half an hour later, face full of makeup and dressed in his favourite tight jeans. Not that she needed the makeup because she was the most beautiful sight without it. But she'd come and join him on the sofa and he'd give her her present, and every time she would cry and kiss him softly on the cheek. To Gene, that kiss was his Christmas present. Then she'd pull a perfectly wrapped one from under the tree and give it to him. The first year it had been an expensive pair of real leather driving gloves, the second year it had been a flask with a lion engraved on the front, and she hadn't made it to see the third Christmas. They'd sit on the sofa all day, the TV on in the background as white nose as they chatted and laughed. There was nothing Gene wouldn't do to her that beautiful laugh again. They would curl up next to each other, falling asleep as the credits of a movie rolled and neither would move when they woke up, not wanting to leave the warmth or the safety of the others arms. But eventually, hunger would get the better of them and they'd go downstairs and get absolutely rotten pissed at Luigi's, often joined by Ray, Chris and Shaz later on in the evening.

But now he had nobody. Even in Manchester he had his ex wife, and even though he didn't really love her towards the end, at least he wasn't alone. And after they'd gotten together, he spent the majority of his time at Sam and Annie's anyway. New Year was his favourite because they'd always throw a massive party. He'd be pissed out of his mind come 10pm and hitting on Annie's sister. Now when Christmas and New Year rolled around, Gene just drank till he passed out, resulting in his new DI having to peel him off the floor and take him home.

His fifth Christmas without Bolls was here, and Gene found himself propped up at the end of a bar drinking the place dry.

"Hey!" He'd drunkenly slurred as the bar tender took his car keys.

Gene had gone to punch the man, but ended up punching thin air and falling off his stool.

_DI Dickhead_ , as Gene had so aptly named him, had come along not long after and scooped him off the floor.

"Gerr'off!" Gene had pushed the younger man away, stumbling in the process. "I'm not a nancy fairy!"

"You're drunk"

"An' yer pissin' me off!" Gene once again stumbled, this time into the lap of a beautiful young woman. "Eh, sorry luv" he grumbled, flipping DI Dickhead off.

The young woman, however, didn't seem to mind the fact a giant, drunken oaf like Gene had just fallen into her lap. In fact, judging by the way she was whispering in Gene's ear and the fact he had a giant, shit eating grin on his dopy, drunken face, she quite liked it.

DI Dickhead had just groaned and rolled his eyes, long since grown tired of his DCI's bullshit. He could tell the man was hurting and whilst it didn't affect his work, he was fed up of peeling the drunken oaf off the floor every god damn night. He groaned in disgust as he watched his DCI's hand inch higher and higher up the woman's thigh. A woman young enough to be his granddaughter.

"Yer wanna ger outta 'ere?" Gene slurred, his hot, stale breath washing over the young girls neck. "'Ow much yer charge, anyway?"

"Your place?" she smiled, nibbling on his earlobe. "More than you could ever afford" she'd licked her lip seductively as Gene stood up on wobbly legs, dragging her along with him.

He'd pulled her in to him, attacking her lips with his in a sloppy, messy kiss. "Mmmmm Bolls" he'd whispered as he roughly squeezed the girls arse, pushing her up against the coarse brick wall of the pub.

"That's nice" She knew, in that moment, that she had him. She'd found him, after all her searching. She'd been watching the poor bloke for weeks now. It didn't take a brainiac to notice the man was miserable. The dull, sad eyes. The excessive drinking. She knew he'd be perfect. But would he be willing? He was strong and proud and stood by his beliefs. If he made a commitment, he'd stick to it. He didn't care about himself or his own happiness. Maybe his drunken, horny state would help with his willingness thanks to the rush of blood a lot further south than his brain was digging into her hip.


	2. Chapter 2

Gene flopped on the springy bed, very close to passing out and waking up halfway through Christmas Day at this rate! She needed him relatively awake for this.

"Oi!" She huffed, slapping his cheeks and him back into consciousness. "Wake up you miserable bastard! We've got unfinished business here!"

"Sorry, luv!" Gene grinned, unbuckling his belt as he smiled suggestively.

The blonde haired woman just groaned and rolled her eyes, watching as the mess of a man on the bed got confused by his own well worn belt buckle.

"Yer couldn't give us an 'and could yer, luv?" Gene slurred. "Need some 'elp gettin' the Gene Genie outta 'is cage"

"Ugh, sit up you fat idiot!" The blonde groaned, maybe she should have made her move a couple of glasses earlier.

"Hey!" Gene pouted, still struggling with his belt. "Yer 'elp me get the Gene Genie outta 'is cage an' yer don't even 'ave ter rub the lamp yer get the Genie to come out an' play" Gene waggled his brows and his hips to show off his bulge.

"Okay, first of all - _ew_!" The young blonde crossed her arms over her chest, cocking her brow at Gene as he looked at her like a wounded puppy.

"Fourt yer wanted the Gene Genie. Or are yer jus' playin' hard ter get?"

"Will you just shut the fuck up for like two minutes?" She snapped and Gene mumbled something about her being a weirdo bitch under his breath. "All that in the pub was just so I could get you alone"

"Oh fuck, yer one o' those lady murders ain't yer?! Just 'cus yer a bird don't mean I won't knock yer out!"

"Right, just like you so expertly punched that bar tender tonight. You were aiming for the floor, right?"

"Look if yer gonna kill me, kill me. Yer don't 'ave ter be a bitch about it" A look of genuine hurt spread across Gene's face and the blonde remembered why she was here.

She sighed once again, knowing the pain he was in. She sat down on the bed next to him and patted his knee.

"I'm sorry" she apologised as Gene shrugged. "I'm sorry I lead you to believe I was gonna have sex with you, because I'm not" Gene's brow knitted together and he almost looked adorable. Almost. "But what I can offer you is a lot better than sex"

Gene looked at her like she was stupid.

"I've been sent to watch you, to study you and I have been the last few weeks. You're a miserable bastard who drinks and smokes like his life depends on it. You're cold and rude to anyone and everyone, but you care. You silently care. Not about yourself, mind. You're lonely and you're in this deep depression that you don't seem to be trying to get out of-"

"-... the fuck?"

"You're the guardian of these lost souls, you guide them through to the afterlife. And you do a great job, one of the best according to the people upstairs. But you've gotten lost along the way, lost people who looked after you too. And I guess that's where I come in"

"Yer what, luv? Bloody do lally you are! All this talk about souls... I'd tell yer ter get yer 'ead checked but yer will probably slice me up before I get the chance"

"Gene, will you seriously just shut the fuck up for five minutes, please? I'm not going to kill you, if I wanted you dead, you'd be six foot under by now! And as for the other stuff, you don't need to play dumb with me. I know all about it. That's why I'm here. To help you"

"I don't need no 'elp" Gene grumbled.

"Yes, actually, you do. And whether you want it or not, you're getting it" the woman stated matter of factly.

"Am not" Gene replied childishly.

"When you lost Alex-"

"-don't yer dare say 'er name!" Gene growled.

"When you lost Alex you lost the person who took care of you" she continued, ignoring Gene's growl as she said Alex's name. "And you lost a part of you. You lost your team and you lost your way. Sure, you got yourself back on track but it wasn't enough. Your heart wasn't in it. We thought you'd get over them or forget like you did with Sam and Annie, but you didn't. You couldn't. And we can't let you go on like this. It's inhumane. Our jobs are to help guide lost souls to their final resting place, for them to be at peace. But you're not, are you Gene. You never will be. Not like this. Not here"

"What're yer sayin'?"

"I'm saying I'm going to help you move on-"

"-no!"

"Gene, it's your time now. You've done enough for us, so let us do this for you. You deserve to be at peace too... Don't you want to see Alex again?" Silence. The blonde knew she had him. She had used the woman he loved as a bargaining chip.

"We can do that, Gene. You can spend the rest of eternity with her. With all of them. You've done your job, now let me do mine"

"An' I'll see Bolls again?"

"She's in your idea of heaven isn't she?"

"She _is_  me 'eaven"

"Good. Now just lie back and go to sleep" the blonde instructed.


	3. Chapter 3

Gene's head was pounding and his mouth felt drier than a Nun's fanny. There was a stale, acidic taste on his tongue. He groaned and rolled further into the pillow as a high pitched screaming assaulted his ears.

What the?

"S'your turn" a slurred, thick with sleep voice mumbled from beside him.

Oh fuck, had he gotten lucky last night? Last thing he remembered was telling DI Dickhead to do one and stumbling backwards into somebody. The screaming only seemed to be intensifying and oh God, was that a baby?

"Gene, it's your turn!" The voice was clearer this time, a shove accompanied it.

"Eh?"

What the bloody hell was going on? Why was he in some random woman's bed and why was she telling him to go check on a sreeching bloody baby?!

"Fine. I'll go!" The woman snapped, her clipped, well spoken accent hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You can be a real lazy bastard sometimes!"

Gene's blood ran cold. It couldn't be, could it? How drunk was he right now?

"B-Bolly?" He asked, pushing himself to sit up in bed and catching a glimpse of brown locks in the corner of his eye.

"If you're not going to sort the baby out then you're sorting breakfast out" she sighed, quickly kissing the top of his head before she left the bedroom.

Before Gene had the chance to even realise what had just happened, his ears were assaulted once more by several different high pitched squeals and tiny feet stomping on the floor.

"Daddyyyyyyy!" One voice squealed.

"Daddy wake up!" Another one joined in as three tiny bodies attacked him, jumping all over him on the bed.

Daddy? What the actual fuck was going on here?

"Daddy up! Santa's been!" Gene's head was swimming with confusion but before he knew it he was being pulled out of bed by three tiny children.

He was suddenly thankful he was dressed in his Man City shorts and wasn't in the buff. The cold morning air nipped at his exposed flesh and he grabbed the large blue dressing gown off the back of the door as the kids pulled him eagerly out of the bedroom.

"Santa's been, Daddy!" A little girl with piercing blue eyes and long, messy light brown hair squealed, jumping at his feet.

"We owpen our pwesents now?" A smaller little boy with hazel eyes and a mop of sandy hair asked. Gene nodded, not knowing what else do do and proceeded to be tugged along the unfamiliar halls of the house.

It was only when the youngest of the three kids, a little girl with bright blue eyes and dark curls that reminded him of when Alex first turned up, toppled over, pulling his arm down with her that he saw it. The thin gold band wrapped around his finger.

The little girl looked like she was about to wail, but instead pushed herself to stand up and began to toddle ahead on wobbly legs as the pink feet of her baggy onsie trailed behind her.

As the kids pulled Gene around a corner, Alex exited the bedroom with a tiny baby in her arms.

"Shhhhhh" Alex skilfully held a hand up to her lips as she shushed the kids. "It's still really early, and you don't want to wake the baby or your sister up, remember?"

How many bloody kids were there? Gene was beginning to loose count.

He followed the three that had pulled him out of bed down the stairs, Alex and the other sleeping one close behind him. The three elder ones ran straight towards the tree as Alex gently placed the sleeping baby in a Moses basket in the corner of the room.

Gene looked around the unfamiliar surroundings in awe. The place was huge! There was a massive L shaped leather couch, shiny, hard wood flooring, weird flowery wallpaper. And nothing was brown. Or beige. And what the fuck was that huge plastic thing on the wall?! He was confused. The tree was bloody massive and looked like something straight out of a forest.

Okay he was definitely dreaming because everything in this house looked expensive and out of some scifi movie or some shit.

And what the fuck was an iPad and why was Alex telling the curly haired girl not to chew it?!

"Aw sweet! A PS4!"

A what?

"Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad!" The oldest little girl was grinning like the Cheshire Cat holding a box bigger than her. She had a gappy smile and reminded him of his grandmother.

"Can I play it now? Pleaseeeee?" She pleaded.

"No! I wanna watch Ewf!" The little boy stomped his foot and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Paige, you can play it till your Uncle Sam and Auntie Annie get here. Sammy, when Big Sam and Auntie Annie get here, with Lucas and Emily, then you can all watch Elf, okay?"

Alex had knelt down so she was eye level with the two kids (who's names Gene was desperately trying to remember). They seemed to take that deal and the boy went back to opening his presents.

"Can you set it up for me Daddy?" The little girl asked. Gene paled.

Set what up? He didn't even know what a PS4 was!

"Um...um...er" Gene mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "Ask yer Mam?" He said timidly as the little girl looked at him as though he were an alien.

"What the hell is wrong with you this morning?!" Alex groaned. "How much did you even drink last night? Seriously Gene! You just hook it up to the TV!"

"An' the TV is where?" Gene asked swallowing thickly as Alex, his sweet, beautiful Alex looked at him like he had two heads.

"That giant 60 inch thing on the wall you demanded we got ring any bells?!"

Oh so that's what the giant black shiny window thing on the wall was! It better not come crashing down and almost kill him like the one in Nelson's did after the Grand National!

Wait... Did Alex say Sam and Annie?

"Forget it!" Alex groaned. "You're on breakfast duty!"

Gene walked off in the direction she's pointing. Breakfast any be too hard. Breakky is brekky wherever you are, right?

There's so many doors in the house and Gene has no idea where he's going. Taking a wild guess, Gene opens the second one along and is met with a giant white machine covered in buttons.

Surely that's not the oven.

"What are you doing in the laundry room?" A little voice asks, causing Gene to sharply turn around. "The kitchen is over there" she points to what is obviously the kitchen.

"Right" Gene mumbles as he heads in that direction, the little girl known as Paige got on his heels. "I thought yer wanted ter play yer game box thing"

"Mummy told me to stay with you whilst she sets it up. Says you're still drunk and doesn't want the house burning down on Christmas morning" she replies matter of factly, there's no doubt in his mind that this is Alex Drake's daughter.

"That's the medicine cabinet" she quirked her bow as she watched her father stumble about the kitchen. Something was definitely wrong.

"Bowls" Gene mumbled, opening another cupboard only to be met with cleaning products.

"Third door along on the top shelf" the young girl replied from atop the marble counter, watching her father skeptically. She watched as he pulled out five bowls, trying to juggle them all. "Don't forget Molls' bowl"

"Huh?" Gene creased his brow but grabbed a sixth and placed them all down. "Right, erm, Sammy-"

"-I'm Paige"

"Sorry. Right. What do you want then?"

"The usual" Paige replied, swinging her legs. Something felt off with her father. Her mother had said he was drunk but she'd seen him drunk countless times and he was usually falling over stuff or all over her Mum. "Brown toast" she said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "But it's Christmas and you and Mum usually let us have Coco pops or bacon and eggs... Seriously Daddy, are you okay?"

"Er fine. Never better" Gene grumbled. "Yer want bacon then?" Paige nodded as the dark haired little girl toddled into the kitchen.

"Lacey! Get back here now!" He heard Alex shouting before she came running in after the toddler, hoisting the giggling two year old into her hip. "Sammy wants dippy eggs and soldiers, by the way" she leant over and kissed Gene on the cheek.

"Cheesh!" Lacey exclaimed.

"Yes you can have cheese on toast" Alex replied, kissing the toddlers chubby cheek as she placed her on the floor. "Go back in the living room and play quietly. Paige is in charge" Alex called as the two girls ran off giggling. "And keep an eye on the baby for me"

Gene had just about worked out where the fridge was when Alex spoke again.

"You. Sit" she pointed toward the kitchen table.

"But breakfast"

"Gene it's quarter to six in the bloody morning. There's plenty of time for that!" Gene did as was told and sat down at the table.

Alex stood in front of him, looking at him with a strange, but worried expression on her face.

"Did you bang your head or something last night, Gene? You're acting really weird this morning!"

"I am?" Gene asked, causing Alex to roll her eyes with a 'duh' expression on her face. "Sorry, luv. Must still be a bit pissed"

"What time did you get home last night anyway?"

"Dunno" Gene muttered.

"Well it must have been late because I was up till 3 with Sammy. He wanted to catch Santa... Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine, luv. Never better" he grinned, genuinely.

Alex narrowed her eyes but seemed to buy it. For now. She leant down and captured his lips with her own, kissing him deeply and wrapping her arms around his neck as his arms snaked around her waist pulling her close. God he had bloody dreamed of this!

He'd only ever kissed her once, and that was short, sweet and innocent. But this one... Her tongue was in his mouth and her fingers we're splayed out in the soft tufts of sandy hair and his hand had a nice handful of Alex's arse.

"Mmmmm" Gene moaned as he pulled Alex down into his lap, deepening the kiss and sneaking his hand beneath the material of her satin bed shorts.

"Mmmff Gene" Alex pulled away, only for Gene to immediately pull her back, tighter and closer. "Gene we can't" she pulled away again.

"Bin dreamin' of this since I saw yer in that sexy little red number" Gene mumbled, once again pulling Alex in for another kiss.

"What? Gene stop. The kids"

"They're playin' with that toy thing" Gene dismissed, his hands now exploring the naked expanse of Alex's torso beneath her baggy t-shirt... And oh dear god she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Gene!" Alex giggled as he stood up, placing her on the kitchen table and standing between her legs.

"Seriously guys?! That is fucking _gross_!" Gene sprung away from Alex as he heard the voice, turning to see a teenage girl standing in the doorway.

"Molls" Alex blushed, wiping her mouth and jumping off the table.

"It's barely six in the morning, please don't put me off my breakfast" And with that, the teenage girl sulked away back into the living room.


	4. Chapter 4

Gene had been trying to get his head around it. He had learnt that it was Christmas Day 2015 from the TV, that TV's in 2015 were weird, that he was married to Alex and they had five kids; Molly, Paige, Sam, Lacey and Matthew. Sam and Annie were also here, still married but also now had two kids of their own; Emily and Lucas. He didn't know much else, but he figured he would find out soon enough.

His memory was hazy, but parts of last night were starting to come back to him. He remembered drinking alone in the pub, he remembered DI Dickhead and a blonde woman. He took the blonde woman home and he was 90% sure he didn't shag her. He remembered she was a bitch though and said something about heaven. Was this it? Was he in heaven? He must be if he was married to Bolly. Although kids, and five of them at that, weren't exactly his idea of an eternal afterlife with Alex. A sunny beach somewhere and a lot of sex, yes... A house full of kids in the middle of Manchester, not so much. Although, as far as kids go, Gene decided, these five weren't so bad. He even kind of liked them. And Molly was here, did this mean that in this version of their lives, he had fathered Molly? That Alex hadn't had to go through all that crap with that shit stick Pete? He hoped that was the case.

But he was also starting to form new, different memories. Hazy, bitty memories of getting pissed with Sam, Ray and Chris last night at some house party. He remembered throwing up in a potted plant and blaming it on a passed out Chris. He remembered Alex saying her, Shaz, Annie and the kids were going to Midnight Mass (to which Gene replied, "fuck that shit" and drunkenly stumbled to the pub). He also had a hazy memory of leaving a passed out Ray on Nelson's sofa because he was too heavy to carry and him and Sam dragging a passed out Chris through the streets of Manchester.

Gene much preferred the second set of memories.

Alex had put the turkey in the oven after breakfast and the house smelt divine. The kids were all playing with their new toys on the floor and Molly was playing with this weird brick thing, her thumbs dancing away as she tapped the screen.

"You're going to put that thing down when the rest of the family get here, aren't you?" Alex, who was currently feeding baby Matthew his bottle, asked Molly.

"I suppose" the teenage girl huffed, shrugging her shoulders.

She didn't really seem into Christmas and Gene didn't know if it was just an age thing or what. But his detective skills told him it was something more.

Without even realising it, Gene had slipped into his Dad role really easily and although it had only been a few hours, he felt like he had been doing it for years. (He had... But he hadn't and it confused him too much to try to even think about it).

Alex had gone back to feeding the three month old baby boy in her arms and Molly had gone back to furiously tapping away at her brick. Gene watched the teenage girl closely. Her face was a mix of pain, sadness and anger, although she was trying not to let it show. She looked just like her mother did so many times back in the 80s and it broke his heart. Molly's lip quivered and she quickly stood up and bolted out of the room and Gene was certain he had saw her eyes become watery.

Without even thinking about it, he got up and followed the girl out. He was starting to get his feel around the large house, more and more new memories appearing in his head every second as he climbed the stairs. He instantly knew which room was Molly's and gently knocked on the door.

Silence.

"Molls" Gene called softly. "It's me. Yer gonna let me in?"

And, just like her mother used to on Christmas mornings, Molly opened the door to him, her eyes red rimmed and her cheeks stained with tears.

"I thought he'd at least call!" Molly squeaked, lying down on her bed and hugging the pillow tighter to her chest. Her room was all white wood, with a grey chimney breast accent and fairy lights lined the walls and her bed. It was a grown up room, but it still had it's childish edge with various stuffed teddies and pictures on the walls. Gene walked over to Molly's bed and tenderly sat down beside her, his heart swelling as the teenage girl snuggled close to him.

"'Oo?" He asked as he wrapped his arm around her trembling shoulders.

"My dad!" Molly sobbed and Gene felt his heart sink. He had thought that he was her father, but obviously not. "It's Christmas and he couldn't even be bothered to send me a card! It's not like it's my Birthday and you can forget! It's Christmas! They have Christmas in Canada so why did he forget? Do I mean that little to him? Am I that worthless?!"

Molly sobbed hard against Gene's chest, sounding completely and utterly broken.

"Oh Molls no!" Gene kissed the top of her head as a course of anger surged trough his veins. This bastard was going to pay, not only for hurting Alex in her last life, but for what he had done in this one too! "If 'e didn't send yer a card or a gift or even call yer then 'e is the worthless one, yer 'ear me? Yer worth ten million of 'im. 'E's a grade A bastard an' believe me, when I get me 'ands on 'im I'll squeeze 'is knackers so tight 'e'll be singin' _Walkin' In The Air_ 'igher than Aled bloody Jones!" Molly giggled and snuggled in tighter to Gene's chest. "I'm serious, Molly. Yer the most amazing little girl an' if 'e doesn't see it then fuck 'im. Yer don't need 'im anyway, yer got me!" Gene's face split into a goofy grin.

"You'll always be my Daddy. You raised me and you're the only one I've ever known, I just thought that maybe I meant something to my other dad... Pete... Whatever... I just thought I meant something to him"

"Yer want me to fly ter Canada an' break every bone in 'is sorry body?" Gene asked, half joking half serious.

"You already did that, remember?" Molly grinned and suddenly a new memory popped into Gene's head.

_Annie had found her sobbing in the ladies and, knowing how close you and Alex were, had come and told you immediately. You'd sent her home; told her to take as much time as she needed -paid. She'd been reluctant at first as she sobbed into your chest, her tears staining your shirt, but you'd eventually persuaded her. After telling Annie to drive Alex home and stay with her to make sure she was okay, you rounded everyone up._

_Everybody loved the young PC, and everybody knew the utter shit she had been dealing with lately. All you needed was an excuse, and now the lot of you finally had one._

_"Terry, run a trace on that shit stick's phone. I wanna know where 'e is, now!" You'd growled and Terry quickly got to typing away at his computer._

_"Guv?" Ray had asked, wondering what was going on._

_"This isn't going to solve anything, Guv!" Sam slammed his had down on the table in front of you, causing your murderous gaze to rake up and down his body._

_"You 'eard 'er in there, sobbin' 'er 'art out!" You snapped, squaring up to your younger DI. "This scummy bastard 'as bin doin' it fer weeks. Months even! Treatin' the poor woman like shit!"_

_"And you think beating the crap out of him is gonna make things better, do you?"_

_"She's one o' yer own, Tyler! Yer patched up 'er black eye yerself last week! That lanky streak o' piss 'as bin knockin' 'er about for months! An' now 'e's just up an' left 'er! Yer think that's acceptable do yer? Ter abandon yer wife an' six month old daughter?!"_

_"Got it, Guv!" Terry called, scribbling down his last known location._

_"'E ain't knockin' that poor girl around an' then swannin' off an' gettin' away wi' it! 'E picked the wrong woman ter abuse! Don't tell me yer wouldn't do the same thing if it were Annie" And with that you turned on your heal, snatching the paper from Terry._

_"Guv, wait!" Sam jogged up and walked side by side with you, Ray and Chris hot on your heals._

_You'd scoured the streets of Manchester till you found the sad excuse of a man Alex was married to. You'd circled the bloody city twice before he finally stopped moving. And how nice, he was currently having a beer in The Railway Arms._

_"Out" you'd demanded as you stepped through the threshold, the few drunk patrons doing as instructed as you walked up to the bastard at the bar. You shared a knowing look with Nelson, he knew Alex and he knew what Pete had been doing for weeks. Nelson nodded, a silent confirmation that, should other police officers come knocking, you were never here._

_Pete had turned from his beer and had opened his mouth to say something, but you'd punched him square in the face. The force of the blow sent the man flying from his stool and landing on the cold hard floor with a loud thump._

_"What the?!" Pete brought a hand up to his broken and bloodied nose before looking back at you. The little bastard actually had the cheek to smirk. Wrong move. You swiftly kicked him in the stomach, causing the posh bastard to double over in pain, clutching his stomach and moaning._

_"Yer not so big now are yer?" You snarled, kicking him again with all the force in the world you could muster. Pete cried out in pain as you continued to kick him. "Yer think yer a big 'ard man, beatin' yer wife? Walkin' out on yer six month old kid?! Yer a worthless bastard! Not so big now are yer?!"_

_By now you were being pulled back by Ray and Sam as you would have surely killed Pete had you carried on. He lay there, writhing on the floor all bloodied and beaten and you couldn't help but spit on his skinny, useless body._

_Nelson had gone out back to phone an ambulance._

_"Scumbag!" Ray growled, kicking Pete and spitting at him once again as he walked past, ushering you quickly and quietly out of the door._

_Sam held out a hand for Pete to take, which he gladly accepted as Sam hoisted him back up into a standing position only to swing for him and knock him clean out, leaving the heap on the floor._

"Oh yer" Gene grinned at the memory. At least in this life the scumbag bastard got what was coming to him.

"I don't know why I still expect him to care... Or why I care that he doesn't. He's not my dad, not really" Molly sighed, looking at her lap. Gene laced his fingers with hers and squeezed her hand.

"It's just human nature, I suppose" Gene shrugged.

He'd never stopped wanting his father to love him or be proud of him, no matter how old he got.

"Yer part o' 'im an' 'e should love yer no matter what. An' yer probably always gonna crave somethin' from 'im. But the best thing ter do is just prove 'im wrong. Show 'im 'ow amazin' a person yer can be wi'out 'im. Don't let 'im ruin yer Christmas, Molls. Yer deserve the world an' that useless streak o' piss ain't worthy o' yer. Or yer Mam fer that matter!" Molly grinned, her smile so wide Gene was worried she'd hurt her face. She wrapped her arms around his torso and squeezed him tight.

"I'm glad yer me real Dad" Molly smile into his chest, her Manc accent slipping through slightly. "I love you so much!"

"I love yer too, Molls. More than anythin'" and Gene found that he did. He didn't think this amount of love was humanly possible.

Now he understood why Bolls wanted to get back to her daughter so badly. His heart broke as he realised she never got to. At least in this life both Molly and Alex had each other. Had their happy endings.

"I wish you were my biological Dad"

"Me too, Molls. Me too"


	5. Chapter 5

Alex was in the middle of dancing to Christmas songs with Paige, Sammy and Lacey when Gene and Molly came back downstairs 20 minutes later. No words needed to be exchanged, but Alex instantly knew what had happened, seemingly by looking at her eldest daughter.

She held her arms out and Molly went into them willingly, wrapping her own arms around her mothers torso and squeezing with all her might. Alex's eyes glistened with unshead tears and she held Molly tightly, kissing the top of her head as they swayed along to the _Fairytale Of New York_. Alex looked up, smiling at Gene as both she and Molly extended an arm for him, which he gladly accepted, hugging and holding his two precious girls tight.

Normally the other kids would get jealous and want to join in, but even at a young age they sensed this was a moment where Molly needed her mum and dad and they continued to stomp around the living room, singing and dancing on their own.

It was an hour later, when Lacey and Sammy had fallen asleep on the floor amongst their presents and Gene, Alex, Paige and Molly were all curled up together on the sofa watching a movie when the phone rang. Only Gene had no idea what it was.

"Aarrrrggghhhh!" Gene shrieked, knocking the vibrating white brick Molly had been playing with to the floor.

A picture of Sam smiling appeared on the screen and Gene let out another uncharacteristic high pitched scream. As Gene touched the vibrating thing, he accepted the call and Sam and Annie appeared on the screen.

What the? How did they get into the brick?

"Sam?! Annie? What's going on? Why are you in there?" Gene asked, not noticing the way his wife and daughters were looking at him.

Alex picked the device up and smiled.

"What's going on? Is Gene okay?" Sam asked.

"He's been weird all morning" Alex sighed. "Did he bang his head last night?"

"I don't think Sam can remember" Annie said shortly, shooting her husband a death glare. "Anyway, we're just ringing to say we'll be round in about 10 minutes. Lucas wanted to show you his toys"

Alex and Annie continued to chat via FaceTime -not that Gene had any idea what that was and Molly narrowed her eyes at her father.

"What the hell was that about?!"

"What was wha' about?"

"You. With the girly screaming and the weirdness" Molly waved her hands about as Paige studied her father closely. He really was acting strangely!

"Jus'... Jokin'" Gene shrugged, avoiding eye contact with both girls. They had both inherited Alex's steely gaze and he figured that in this life he wouldn't be able to deny them anything. Or get away with lying to them.

"You. Don't. Joke"

"Unless it's naughty and makes Mummy mad!" Paige added.

"Guess there's a time an' place ter start everythin'" Gene smiled, thinking he'd won that round. "Anyway, the pair o' yer are still in yer jammies. Go get changed before yer Auntie Annie an' Uncle Sam get 'ere" Gene ordered. "Mush" he grinned, ordering them out of the room, only for Alex to reappear looking stressed and frustrated.

"What?" Gene chanced.

"Everybody is going to be here in 20 minutes, Gene! None of the kids are even bathed, let alone dressed! I'm still in my pyjamas for crying out loud!"

"Well I just sent Molls an' Paige ter go an' get changed. Why don't you go an' get yerself all dolled up an' I'll sort Sammy an' Lacey out?" Gene suggested. Surely two little kids wouldn't be too much work, right? He had managed with Ray and Chris for long enough so two toddlers should be a breeze.

"Sammy _and_ Lacey?" Alex stressed, raising her eyebrows.

"Yer" Gene grinned. "You go put yer face on an' I'll deal wi' these two"

"Are you sure?" Alex asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, Bolly Kecks!" Gene grinned, smacking her arse for good measure. "Go. I got this" Alex frowned once again before shrugging it off, kissing him on the cheek and sauntering away. "Oh an' Bolls" Gene called after her, grinning cheekily as she turned back. "Wear some-"

"-something slutty. I know" Alex rolled her eyes but grinned back.

Some things never change, Gene couldn't help but grin like the Cheshire Cat at that thought. 


End file.
